This invention relates generally to display devices, and particularly to lightweight display devices designed to be removably affixed to various fabric articles such as articles of clothing.
Many types of displays are known and extensively used, including promotional, ornamental, informational, inspirational and warning displays, among others. Stickers are a well known type of lightweight display device that can be readily adhered to a supporting surface for static display of printed text and/or graphics. However, there has not heretofore been a self-contained sticker with an electronically controlled dynamic display, that is, a display with changing characteristics such as light or sound effects that attract the attention of a desired observer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,602 to Meyerowitsch discloses a sticker for an alarm system having an LED that flashes under control of an integrated circuit included as part of the sticker along with the LED. However, the sticker requires an external power source, and is provided with electrical wires for that purpose that are longer than the sticker itself. U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,140 to Tuttle discloses a postage stamp or mailing label having an integrated circuit transceiver and an associated battery cell mounted therein. Tuttle mentions, but does not describe, LEDs or laser diodes for the propagation of light signals to an interrogator. However, no such propagation occurs without a separate interrogation unit. Moreover, there is no indication that the electro-optical coupling technique suggested by Tuttle would or should be capable of generating humanly perceptible light or flashing action.
Lighted displays have been proposed for various articles of clothing as a way to enhance aesthetic appeal, which is a fundamental goal of fashion design. Examples of such displays are found in the following patents:
______________________________________ Pat. No. Inventor Issue Date ______________________________________ 4,164,008 Miller et al. Aug. 7, 1979 4,308,572 Davidson et al. Dec. 29, 1981 4,709,307 Branom Nov. 24, 1987 4,774,434 Bennion Sep. 27, 1988 4,823,240 Shenker Apr. 18, 1989 5,371,657 Wiscombe Dec. 6, 1994 5,440,461 Nadel et al. Aug. 8, 1995 5,455,749 Ferber Oct. 3, 1995 ______________________________________
However, such displays are designed either to be permanently affixed to an article of clothing, or to have different parts of the display located in different places in the article of clothing, or both. Typically, there is a requirement for holes in the fabric or other modification of the clothing itself. For example, in the devices disclosed in the above-referenced patents to Miller, Davidson and Shenker, holes are provided to allow LEDs to protrude through the fabric, and a control circuit, battery, and electrical wiring are located within a pocket or other portion of the garment. Miller teaches the use of a heat-sensitive adhesive for permanently connecting a flexible printed circuit sheet to a garment, and VELCRO.RTM. or snaps for temporary connection thereof. Ferber discloses the use of VELCRO.RTM. for connection of a battery and control circuit to a set of LEDs which are removably connected to electrically conductive lines printed, screened, painted or coated on or molded into a garment.
Bennion discloses a lighted display with LEDs mounted on a flexible circuit board that is permanently affixed to the surface of a shirt by means of a temperature-sensitive adhesive. A battery pack for the circuit board is carried in a pocket of the shirt and electrically connected to the circuit board by electrical wiring and a snap-terminal arrangement with prongs that puncture the shirt material. Branom discloses an LED flasher circuit on an overlay or patch secured to the back of a jacket or exercise vest by adhesive or sewing or the like, with a battery removably disposed in a pocket of the garment.
Readily removable, adhesively affixed name tags suitable for use on clothing are widely available, but such tags have heretofore been available only with static displays. There remains a need for a simple, inexpensive, self-contained sticker with an electronically controlled, dynamic display capable of being readily affixed to and readily removed from an article of clothing or other fabric article, and having minimal weight, thickness, and stiffness.